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Businesses on Pacific Avenue, Benson, MNPhoto: Myotus · CC BY 4.0
–Not graded
Health in Benson Township · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Benson Township residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Benson Township, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 56215. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Benson Township

COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Benson Township

1 in 13 adults have COPD (8%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.5%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. Stroke is also above the state: 4.4%, vs 3.1% across Minnesota. In all, Benson Township runs above Minnesota on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

More Benson Township adults get no exercise

3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (27.9%), vs 22.3% across Minnesota. Habits ↓

More high blood pressure in Benson Township, and more people treating it

37.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Minnesota 31%), but 80.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.1% statewide. Checkups ↓

Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Minnesota figure falls outside Benson Township’s likely range; Benson Township’s figures come from ZIP code 56215, which may reach past town lines.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Benson Township adults…

Benson Township runs above MN on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

8 of every 100 Benson Township adults have COPD
Minnesota: 5 in 100 · worse · likely 6.6–9.4%
Better than MNWorseAbout the sameMinnesota
Why age matters here

Benson Township is an older town: 26% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Minnesota. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Benson Township as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Benson Township26%
Minnesota17%
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota

Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.

Get no exercise 27.9%MN 22.3%
Sleep under 7 hours 30.5%MN 29.2%
Binge drink 16.5%MN 17.8%
Smoke cigarettes 16.3%MN 13.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Benson Township, betterBenson Township, worseAbout the sameMinnesota
Where Benson Township gets moving

1.6 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Benson Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.

77%Yearly checkupMN 75%
62%Dentist visitMN 68%
86%Cholesterol checkMN 85%
69%Colon screeningMN 69%
77%MammogramMN 79%
81%Taking BP medsMN 76%
1 in 13
working-age adults has no health insurance
Benson Township 8% · Minnesota 1 in 13 (7.5%)
Getting care

Care in and near Benson Township

No hospital or community health center in Benson Township itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERCentracare - BensonBenson · 4.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCommunity Health Service Inc. - WillmarWillmar · 29.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
4.6 mi
Centracare - Benson
Benson · not rated
ERRural critical access
20.8 mi
Glacial Ridge Hospital
Glenwood · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
22.5 mi
Stevens Community Medical Center
Morris · not rated
ERRural critical access
24.9 mi
Appleton Area Health
Appleton · not rated
ERRural critical access
29.5 mi
Community Health Service Inc. - Willmar
Willmar · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
64.7 mi
Rural Health Care
4 sites · nearest in Marshall
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Benson Township itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Benson Township itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Benson Township itself

Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Benson Township; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

Mind & connection

How Benson Township adults are doing

About the same as Minnesota on each measure.

3 in 10Benson Township adults feel lonely
30.1% · MN 31.2% · About the same as MN
1 in 5Benson Township adults lack social or emotional support
20.2% · MN 21.5% · About the same as MN
1 in 4Benson Township adults have been diagnosed with depression
25.6% · MN 24.4% · About the same as MN
1 in 6Benson Township adults are in frequent mental distress
15.6% · MN 15.1% · About the same as MN
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Benson Township adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 8
Benson Township adults worry about having enough food
12.7% · MN 11.4%
About the same as MN
1 in 11
Benson Township adults worry about keeping their housing
9.5% · MN 9.3%
About the same as MN
1 in 15
Benson Township adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.5% · MN 5.7%
About the same as MN
1 in 13
Benson Township adults lack reliable transportation
7.8% · MN 7.1%
About the same as MN

10.3% of Benson Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.

Around town

Benson Township and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Benson: 38.4%Clontarf Township: 37.8%Langhei Township: 38.7%Torning Township: 38.2%Camp Lake Township: 38.3%Six Mile Grove Township: 37.6%Tara Township: 37.8%Hoff Township: 38.6%Blue Mounds Township: 39.1%Rolling Forks Township: 39.2%Kildare Township: 39.9%Cashel Township: 38.7%Kerkhoven Township: 39.4%Benson Township: 38.2%Benson TownshipBensonClontarf TownshipLanghei TownshipTorning TownshipCamp Lake TownshipCentracare - Benson · Benson · 4.6 miH
Healthier than MNNear MNLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#4 of 14 towns on this map, healthiest first
Clontarf Township37.8%
Benson Township38.2%
Torning Township38.2%
Camp Lake Township38.3%
Benson38.4%
Langhei Township38.7%
MN33.5%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
BensonC+38.4%13.6%16.4%CDC place
Clontarf Township————
Langhei Township————
Torning Township————
Camp Lake Township————

Clontarf Township, Langhei Township, Torning Township and Camp Lake Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

34%

of Benson Township adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs16.2%
Thinking or memory14.2%
Hearing9.8%
Errands alone9.2%
Vision5.4%
Dressing or bathing4.4%
Minnesota

Questions about health in Benson Township

Why doesn’t Benson Township have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Benson Township.

What hospital is closest to Benson Township?

Centracare - Benson in Benson, 4.6 miles in a straight line from Benson Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Benson Township.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Minnesota figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.